Maybe there is hope...

You don't seem to have much luck with consultants and specialists. You always seem to get the money-grubbing leeches and opinionated know-it-alls.

Your current health problem is no exception; you were subject to the whims of a consultant who was only interested in treating those capable of funding private care, by whatever means - legal or crooked - possible. And of course his prices were exorbitant.

You have had a Gastroscopy before. It is a fibreoptic camera that is literally swallowed and pushed into the stomach to see what is wrong down there. Anaesthetic for the procedure, which is not comfortable, is either a Local (which requires an escort home because of drowsiness) or a throat spray, which you have had. Sometimes samples are taken for analysis, and although unpleasant, it is a considerable advance on just being cut open.

Although not exactly a cakewalk, it's a simple enough procedure that it doesn't justify a £1600 price-tag for Private Care.

And for another figure you heard - £2500 - You commented that there'd better be a luxury room and a champagne dinner thrown in too.

A doctor's greed will have it's consequences; four medical centres in your area have decided to demand an enquiry because of an issue with their patients being dropped from the waiting lists to make figures destined for the government look good. This is not only wrong, but illegal. Why did they think they could get away with it? Another group tried and they have been caught and punished. What on Earth can possess a group of people to break the trust and faith of so many for their own gain? It's just obscene.

For you, nearly a year of suffering will be coming to an end. Six weeks and counting.